INGREDIENTS:
1 lg Butternut Squash, (about 3 lbs) halved lengthwise and seeded
2 clvs Garlic, unpeeled
2 sprigs Thyme plus 2 tsp chopped
2 tsp Olive Oil, extra virgin
tt Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground
5 tbs Butter, unsalted
2 sprigs Fresh Sage, plus 1 tsp chopped
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
3 cups Whole Milk
1 1/4 cup Fresh Goat Cheese
1 cup Pecorino Romano, finely grated
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs, coarse dry or Panko
AN Fresh Lasagne
INSTRUCTIONS TO ROAST THE SQUASH:
Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Put the squash cut side up on a large, heavy duty rimmed baking sheet. Put 1 clove of garlic and 1 sprig of thyme in each cavity. Drizzle each half with 1 tsp of olive oil and then season each with 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast the squash until it is browned in spots and very tender when pierced with a skewer, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Discard the thyme sprigs. Peel the garlic and put in a large bowl. Scoop the squash fresh from the skins and add it to the garlic. Mash with a fork until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE GOAT CHEESE AND SAGE SAUCE:
Melt 4 tbs. of butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage sprigs and cook until the butter is fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Discard the sage. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occassionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese, 1/2 cup of the pecorino, the nutmeg, 1 tsp of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and mix the rest with mashed squash.
INSTRUCTIONS TO SEASON THE BREADCRUMBS:
Melt the remaining 1 tbs. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, chopped sage, chopped thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the melted butter and mix well.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNE:
Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved cheese sauce over the bottom of a 9x13x13-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of cooked noodles, cutting them as needed to fill any gaps. Spread 1 cup of the squash mixture evenly over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 4 squash layers and 5 pasta layers. Spread the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and the remaining 1/4 cup pecorino.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15-20 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Hellum's Kitchen 